1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the detection of the state of a load powered by an A.C. power supply and, more specifically, to the monitoring of the state of this load and of one or several switches which control it.
The present invention more specifically applies to the detection of possible failures of the load and of the switch(es) in series with this load.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many circuits and methods for detecting the failure of a load have been provided. For example, US patent application No 2006/0043944 provides studying the voltage across the load and comparing it with thresholds. This circuit however does not enable distinguishing all the possible states of the circuit components (load and switches).